Air Astana among world's top 20 airlines

Kazakhstan national air carrier Air Astana is among the top 20 airlines in the world. The rating was made and published by Business Insider.

Air Astana is ranked 18th, followed by Lufthansa and Etihad Airlines, in the 2012 "Best Overall Airline In The World" list by Business Traveler.

The airlines were evaluated during one month along the following criteria: seat comfort, in-flight entertainment, cabin cleanliness and condition, quality of meals served, and service efficiency.

“To find the best of the best for flying at a reasonable cost, we devised a ranking system based on the two most important factors for a pleasant trip: An enjoyable experience in the plane, and timely departure and arrival,” the magazine wrote.

The passengers satisfaction score of Air Astana made 74 out of 100 and its punctuality scored 82 points.

Singapore Airlines was ranked first in the rating. It is followed by Virgin America and Malaysia Airlines.